Looks Can Be Deceiving
by Gamer-Otaku Takara
Summary: Cerberus is whacko. We all know that. So, it wouldn't be all that surprising if they tried to create an entirely new species... Well, guess what! They did. Meet Jinx, the only surviving subject of Project Kage. Follow along as she joins Shepard's crew, going through the ups and downs that come with being on a suicide mission. Maybe she'll even find love along the way... Thane/OC
1. Chapter 1

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Chapter One

Darkness…

_Why is it always so dark?_

"We have to leave! The Blood Pack has breached the perimeter!"

Cold…

_It's so cold in here…_

"But what about Subject 001?"

Loneliness…

_I'm always alone…_

"Just leave her! She's too much trouble to be kept alive anyway…we'll label her as a failed experiment! Just let the vorcha have her…"

_Are they talking about me? Their voices are fading…they're leaving me alone again…but I was made to be a solitary soldier. I'll be alright…just like always…_

**_ON THE NORMANDY_**

"Shepard, I just received some interesting news."

John Shepard folded his arms across his chest, raising an expectant eyebrow at the Illusive Man. "Isn't this how these talks usually start?" He had just returned from Illium, after recruiting Samara, the justicar, and Thane Krios, the assassin. The sudden call from the Cerberus leader caught him off-guard…most likely, he wanted to give Shepard another dossier.

"A small faction of my organization has been working on a strange experiment…but, for some reason, has kept it hidden, even from me. The experiment has been going on for years…"

"Hold on." Shepard held up a hand, interrupting the Illusive Man. "What exactly was this experiment about? It must have been pretty big, if it was such a well-kept secret."

"They were trying to create a new species of stealth-ops soldiers," the Illusive Man explained. "Agents that could slip through shadows and reach places normal soldiers can't…they were planned to be incredibly agile, and intelligent enough to manipulate someone into doing or telling them anything they wished. They were supposed to be genetically altered in different ways...what I've read about the project is intriguing. It was called Project Kage."

"You're talking as though the project failed," Shepard said, narrowing his eyes.

"That is the official statement," he replied, taking a puff of his cigar. "But I have reason to believe otherwise."

"Get to the point," the commander said impatiently.

"Project Kage had many subjects, but only one survived. She is known as Subject 001, and my sources tell me that, despite the scientists' claims, she is a successful result of many years of experimentation. But for whatever reason, the scientists thought she was too much trouble, and they left her behind in a stasis pod when the facility was attacked by the Blood Pack."

"And you want me to go find her," Shepard guessed. "And bring her back to the Normandy, because she may be of use to me. Right?"

"Correct." The Illusive Man exhaled deeply, smoke shooting out of his mouth and nose. "The mercenaries have not discovered her yet, but it is only a matter of time. Go to the Yokai facility on Edolus, in the Sparta System of the Artemis Tau cluster. Good luck, Shepard." With that, the Illusive Man suddenly disappeared, leaving Shepard annoyed and exhausted.

"Time to round up the team…"

_**ON EDOLUS**_

"So, you have no idea what this chick looks like, or even what her name is, but you're gonna try and find her anyway?" Jack deadpanned. She casually gripped her pistol as she hopped off the shuttle, turning her head from side to side and cracking her neck.

"The Illusive Man said she would be useful to our mission. I'll take whatever help I can get," Shepard replied.

Thane stepped out of the shuttle behind him, glancing back at it as it flew away. "You do not seem bothered by being given such little information." This was Thane's first mission with Shepard. He was recruited not two days ago…apparently, Shepard wanted to test his combat skills right away.

"I'm used to it. Come on, we shouldn't waste any time." Shepard took out his assault rifle and took the lead, leading his two companions through the front door of the Yokai facility.

"This place reminds me of Pragia," Jack muttered, a deep scowl on her face. "Sickening."

"Focus," Shepard said. "We're looking for a stasis pod with a girl in it. Let's check every room we come across…we'll have to find the right one eventually." Just as he said that, a door caught his eye. He motioned for Thane and Jack to position themselves on either side of the door, and they did so without a sound. Then, after a silent countdown from three, Shepard busted the door open. He was immediately greeted by a group of vorcha, and he dove behind a desk before popping up and spraying them with a barrage of bullets. Thane and Jack fell in behind him, each finding their own cover and leaning out just in time to take down a snarling vorcha.

Then, the room fell silent, and the three of them lowered their weapons. "I think that's it," Shepard said, standing up. Thane and Jack followed him as he walked over to the wall-sized window on the far side of the room.

"Gods," Thane breathed, looking down and taking in the appalling sight below them.

"Are those…bodies?" Shepard recoiled slowly, looking down at the pile of unidentifiable figures.

"Probably the subjects that didn't make it," Jack said. She didn't seem fazed at all. "That's Cerberus for ya."  
"They just…toss them into a pile?" His brow furrowed into a deep scowl. "There must be hundreds of them down there. They hardly even look human."

"Most of them seem to be more…feline," Thane observed. "The ears, tails, fur…but they have humanoid shapes."

"What have those scientists done?" Shepard growled. He shook his head vigorously. "I guess we'll find out when we find Subject 001. Let's go."

_**IN STASIS POD**_

The Yokai facility was under attack.

That much was obvious. The explosions had been going on for hours, and the scientists had long since left the lab. If the last scientists to leave the lab were correct, the attackers are Blood Pack mercenaries… _And since I'm stuck in this pod, there's no way for me to defend myself. They did this on purpose…damn Cerberus…_

_**CRASH!**_

_What was that…?_

"Yo, Shepard! I think we found 'er!"

_Female…species unidentifiable…_

"A girl in a stasis pod. Looks like our target…this kinda reminds me of when I first found Grunt…"

_Male…species unidentifiable…_

"Are we going to release her now, or bring the pod to the Normandy?"

_Another male…species unidentifiable…_

"No point in delaying. Besides, I wanna learn some stuff about this 'Subject 001' before I let her on my ship."

_They aren't scientists, and they aren't vorcha…curiouser and curiouser._

"Here's the controls…be ready for anything. We don't know how this girl is going to react…hopefully not the way Grunt did."

The lid to the stasis pod suddenly popped open, hissing as the gas leaked out of the pod. There was a thump as a figure fell out of the pod, landing limply on the ground. Smoke covered the girl's body, but Thane could just barely make out her outline. "Uh…hello?" Shepard leaned forward. "Are you alright? Can you hear me?" She stirred, slowly pushing herself up by her arms, and then steadily got to her feet.

"Holy shit," Jack said softly.

_'Holy shit' is an accurate statement, _Thane thought, his mouth slightly ajar as he took in the girl in front of him.

She looked mostly human. Her skin was slightly tanned, she had long legs and muscular arms, her waist was slim and her chest was mostly hidden under the loose green tank top she wore. Her hair was jet-black, and she wore an eye patch with the Cerberus logo over her right eye, her left eye was a deep violent and regarded them with an innocent curiosity. There was a mark on her left arm, and peering closer, Thane could make out the first part of it. It was a zero, or an "o"…it seemed to be a tattoo of some sort. However, what shocked him were the black cat ears that sat on top of her head, and the black tail that waved slowly behind her. She flexed her long, slender fingers, and Thane swore he saw claw-like tips glint in the light.

"Human." The girl stared at Shepard. Her voice was soft and light, but not high-pitched. She had an accent that gave her voice a bubbly quality...it reminded them of Tali's accent. "Male." She glanced at Jack. "Human, female." She slowly looked at Thane, her visible eye drifting downward as she looked him over, making him shift uncomfortably. "Drell, male…" _Oooh, he's hot… _She blinked. "Who are you? You are not Cerberus, and you are no vorcha or krogan…"

"I'm Commander John Shepard." Shepard stepped forward, taking charge as usual. He gestured to Jack and Thane. "These are my companions, Thane Krios and Jack. We were sent here to retrieve you, Subject 001."

The woman frowned, clearly discontent with being called Subject 001. "I do not believe she likes being referred to in such a way, Shepard," Thane said calmly. The woman looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to notice.

"Ah…sorry about that. Do you have a name?" Shepard asked, smiling sheepishly.

The woman slowly tilted her head, the right corner of her mouth lifting into a half-smile. "Not officially…but the scientists have taken to calling me 'Jinx'."

_Jinx…an odd thing to call the woman who was designed to be a great asset, _Thane thought.

"Alright, Jinx…" Shepard raised an eyebrow. "…What ARE you? Are you some kind of secret alien race? Or perhaps your kind lives far away, or hidden somewhere?"

Jinx giggled. "Oh, no. I'm the only living member of my kind…" Her tail flicked. "A species that was created by Project Kage."

"Cerberus made an entirely new race?" Jack wondered, scowling.

"They tried to," Jinx corrected. She walked over to the desk near the stasis pod, leaning over and beginning to mess with the computer. "The pile of dead subjects you probably saw shows you how badly they failed. ...Good, they left their files behind…" She opened a drawer and pulled out a thumb drive, sticking it into the computer and presumably downloading the files.

"So those WERE failed experiments," Shepard said thoughtfully. He glanced back at Jinx. "Well, what about you? Why didn't you die like the others?"

"I'm…special, or so the scientists told me," Jinx replied with a small smile. "They ran tests on the other subjects, but only ran those tests on me if they were deemed safe and successful. They made sure I didn't die."

"Sounds familiar," Jack mumbled.

"Then why did they leave you behind?" Shepard insisted.

"Because I was uncooperative," Jinx replied. "I was created to be a master of stealth and manipulation, and I used that to my advantage. I attempted several escapes…alas, I was caught each time." The computer beeped, and Jinx removed the drive, standing straight. "I also liked to cause them problems. Shutting down the power, messing with security, or other such pranks." _Pranks?_ Thane thought. _Amusing._ "They didn't want to send me on any missions, for fear that I'd slip away from them…and they couldn't risk me getting away, especially since I know this facility inside and out."

"Well, I'm leading an important mission," Shepard continued. "A race called the Collectors has been abducting human colonies. I've been building a team and gathering the necessary resources to travel through the Omega 4 Relay, and hit them at their base. If you're as useful as I've been led to believe, it would be beneficial to all of us if you joined up with me."

"Hmm…" Jinx tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Do you mind if I took a rain-check on that? There are some things I need to take care of…"

Shepard frowned. "If you have any unfinished business, I would be more than happy to help you take care of it. And I'm sure you'd be more comfortable on the Normandy…"

Jinx gave Shepard a cheerful smile. "I…work better alone. Tell you what…" She grinned, showing off her razor-sharp fangs. "As soon as I take care of what I need to take care of, I'll meet up with you." She stuck the thumb drive in the pocket of her loose blue jeans, sauntering towards the door. She slowed down when she passed Thane, her tail sliding up his arm. He watched with slightly widened eyes as she stared at him, smirking widely. "I'll keep in touch," she purred, before walking out the door and disappearing from his sight.

"Well, that was…interesting," Shepard said, blinking, as though still trying to register what just happened.

"I think the kitty-cat likes you, Krios," Jack snickered. Thane cleared his throat.

"I believe we should go back to the ship," the drell said. "I'm sure the Illusive Man would like to hear what happened…"

_**OUTSIDE THE FACILITY**_

_Those people were crazy._

Jinx crouched behind the short wall of the roof, peeking out and watching the strange group as they left the Yokai facility, climbing into the shuttle that awaited them. "They seemed nice…but a suicide mission isn't really for me. It's a shame, though…that drell was quite the looker. Thane Krios, was it…?" She leaned her head on her fist, a smile stretching across her face. "Hmm…I have a feeling we'll cross paths again…soon." She stood up straight while the shuttle flew away. "Until then, I have work to do." She knelt next to the little bomb she placed next to the fuse box. The fuse box was the source of electricity for most of the facility, and when the bomb detonates, the sudden explosion would cause the wires in the building to burst, creating a massive explosion that would destroy most of the facility. "Time to kiss this hell-hole good-bye." She pressed a button on the bomb, and the timer began to count down from 5 minutes. Jinx didn't waste any time. Jumping up, she whirled around and leaped over the wall hands-first, using a graceful front handspring to land on her feet. As soon as she was on her feet, she made a beeline for a small wall of rocks a distance away. She dove behind them just as the bomb went off, and the facility and all its horrors were blown to pieces and engulfed in flames. After a few moments, Jinx slowly rose, surveying her handiwork with a big smile on her face. "And that is how you blow something up." She dusted herself off. "Now, onto more pressing matters…"

**A/N:**** How'd you like that? :D Jinx is an interesting girl, wouldn't you say? Oh yeah, and "Kage" is pronounced "Kah-gay", not "cage". It's the Japanese word for shadow! :3 Please review, and tell me your thoughts on this first chapter! I'd love to hear what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

~ 4 ~

Chapter Two

"You just let Subject 001 walk away?" The Illusive Man looked shocked when Shepard told him the news.

"I wasn't going to force _Jinx_ to come," Shepard drawled, putting extra emphasis on her name, not looking apologetic at all. "I probably wouldn't have been able to, anyway. Who cares?"

"I do," the Cerberus leader snapped.

"Oooh, someone's getting snappy," John mocked, smirking. "What do you really want her aboard for? You weren't this desperate to have the others join up with us."

"Subject 001—"

"Jinx," Shepard corrected.

"…Jinx," the Illusive Man continued, "Is a one of a kind weapon. The Yokai facility was destroyed soon after you left—her work, no doubt—but we managed to salvage a small amount of information from the select few intact databases. And if I know her type…and I'm quite certain I do…she took vital files of Project Kage with her before she blew the place to Kingdom Come. That research, and Jinx herself, could change Cerberus forever! We could make more soldiers like her…just think of all the good we could do for humanity if we had a powerful stealth-ops force!"

"Think of all the havoc you could wreak, you mean?" John folded his arms across his chest, scowling. "Jinx may decide to join us soon…but if she does, she will be my _teammate_," he growled, "Not your lab rat. And after this mission ends, I will do whatever is necessary to keep her out of Cerberus clutches. I may be helping you destroy the Collectors, but I will never trust you or your organization…we are allies, and nothing more, for the moment. I haven't forgotten the methods you use to 'ensure human dominance'." He turned around. "I have work to do. Contact me if you have any new leads."

"Shepard, don't—"

John walked out of the briefing room, cutting off comms with the Illusive Man. "EDI?"

"Yes, Shepard?" The ship's AI responded immediately to his voice.

"Tell Joker to bring us to the Citadel. I think the crew deserves some shore leave."

"Right away, Shepard."

_**ON THE CITADEL**_

"Target acquired."

Jinx followed the dark-skinned human with her focused vision, the cybernetics in her eyes glowing bright as she stared intently at the man's back. She sat up in the dark rafters above a small nightclub on the Citadel, her altered biotics enveloping her, making her just a shadow to the naked eye. The black "flames" were incredibly useful when maneuvering through dark places, but the alterations made her biotic powers much weaker than usual biotics, one of the downsides to being made the way she was.

"Dr. Josef Volaks," Jinx hummed to herself. "You thought you could hide amongst the regular people and not get caught, hmm? Silly man." She took out her sniper, positioning it comfortably on her shoulder while she peered through the scope. The dot of the scope settled right on the back of Josef's head, and her finger closed around the trigger. "Lights out, little human," she sang, just as the bullet flew from the barrel, a bang ringing through the air. The nightclub fell silent, the music still blasting…until Josef collapsed, a pool of blood forming around his head. The people around him started screaming and pushing through the crowd to get out, and it created a sort of ripple effect. As more people saw the body, more people started screaming. "I love causing chaos," Jinx giggled, the biotics surrounding her disappearing. "Now, let's see if they'll spot me…" She turned around and started jumping through the rafters. Moments later, a deep voice called out.

"Up there, in the rafters! An assassin!"

"After him!"  
_Why do they always assume the assassin is a man?_ Jinx thought, slightly irritated. _Oh well. I always loved a nice game of tag._ She put her sniper away and took out her heavy pistol, turning around just fast enough to shoot one of her pursuers in the leg. _Tag! You're it._

"Shit…man down!"

"Call C-Sec! Now, you idiot!"

"Too slow~" Jinx sang softly, jumping down from the rafters and easily landing on the ground. From around the corner came a group of C-Sec officers, whipping out their guns and aiming them straight at her. "Damn, they move fast. Too bad I move faster…" She turned left and sprinted through the crowds, knocking people over and shoving people aside as she ran. She turned left once more, into a much more open street… but with little cover. _I think it's about time I end this game—_ "Oof!" Her thoughts were cut off when her body suddenly slammed right into someone else's, and she stumbled back a step. "Hey, watch where you're…" She trailed off. Looking up at the person who served as her newest obstacle, Jinx found herself facing the drell she met the other day. What was his name…? "Thane Krios!" She smiled sweetly up at him. "What a pleasant surprise…what brings you to the Citadel?"

Before he had a chance to respond, the sound of several pairs of heavy footsteps reached Jinx's sensitive ears, and she frantically looked around for a place to hide. She found one, a dark alleyway not five feet away. _Perfect._ Quickly grabbing Thane by the arm, she slipped into the alley, dragging the bewildered drell with her just as one of the C-Sec officers rounded the corner.

Thane blinked rapidly down at Jinx, shock in his eyes and expression. "Have we…met?"

"Hm?" Jinx tilted her head. Then, she perked up. Of course he couldn't recognize her, he couldn't even see her under the hood she was wearing! "Oh, duh." She pulled down her hood, her ears popping up and twitching. "Remember me now?"

The shock slowly faded from Thane's face, replaced by a calm curiosity. "Ah…you are the woman Shepard sought on the Yokai facility. Jinx…correct?"

"You do remember!" Jinx clapped her hands, grinning. "That makes me happy!"

"If I recall correctly, you said you have business to take care of…" Thane trailed off, his eyes narrowing slightly. Jinx had an innocently cheerful air about her, but Thane was obviously the type that wouldn't trust someone so easily. _He's cautious…I like that._

"Yup, and I just took care of some of it!" The sound of heavy footsteps and yells reached her sensitive ears.

"I think he went this way!"

"Ah, shit." Jinx stepped around Thane so his body was facing the street. Thinking quickly, an idea popped into her head, and she gave Thane an apologetic smile. "Sorry, you may hate me for this, but…" She grabbed Thane's head and pulled him downward, her lips crashing into his before he could react. She felt his body stiffen, and when he tried to pull away, she whispered in his ear, "Kiss me like you mean it! I'm being chased, and if they come into this alley, I want it to look like they're disturbing something private. That'll make them go away." _The game was fun for a few minutes, but now it's boring. And losing my pursuers isn't the only thing I'll be getting out of this…_

Thane seemed uncertain, and more than a little suspicious, but he obeyed her, his arms encircling her waist as their lips connected once more. Her arms snaked around his neck, and he pressed her against the wall, the kiss slowly deepening when Thane's tongue brushed Jinx's bottom lip. He grabbed her rear and lifted her off the ground. Jinx gasped, but quickly recovered by wrapping her legs around his waist.

"I'm pretty sure I saw him go—"

Jinx's pursuers turned into the dark alley, but froze in their tracks when they caught sight of the two of them making out. "Uh…fuck…" The turian took a step back.

"Yeah, show 'im how ya do it, lady!" the human next to him cheered, a grin stretching across his face. Thane and Jinx simply ignored them and kept at it, while the turian slapped the human in the back of the head. The idiots weren't leaving, so Jinx decided to kick it up a notch. She nipped Thane's bottom lip, her fangs sliding across it and making his lips part slightly. He pressed himself even closer against her body, making a soft moan escape her throat, followed by a deep purr.

"Okay, he definitely didn't go this way!" The turian grabbed his partner by the arm and dragged him away, despite his protests. "You're disgusting," he said disdainfully. "Why don't you watch porn videos when you go home or something? Damn pervert…" Their voices faded, along with their footsteps, and when there was no sign of them, Thane and Jinx separated, Jinx's feet touching the ground once more. They were both breathing heavily, and Jinx could feel her heart ramming against her ribcage.

"Not bad, assassin," she said slyly. _Not bad? That was fucking amazing!_ "I take it that wasn't your first make-out session?" _Of course it wasn't! He's fucking gorgeous, women probably throw themselves at him wherever he goes!_

"I've had my fair share of them," Thane replied, the corners of his lips lifting in the slightest of smiles. "You seem rather…experienced, as well."

"Do I?" Jinx smirked. "How flattering. Especially since that was my first." _Score one for Jinx._ Thane raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting…" He stood up straighter, clasping his hands behind his back. _Oooh, I like that pose. Makes him look all serious and sexy. _"What 'business' did you take care of, that resulted in you being chased?" he asked monotonously.

Jinx put a finger to her lips, winking at him…which would have actually looked like a wink if she weren't wearing an eye patch. "It's a secret," she whispered loudly. She smiled. "I'm sure you can understand, Mr. Best-Assassin-In-The-Galaxy."

"You have heard of me?" wondered Thane.

"No…I wasn't allowed to listen to the news and whatnot while I was trapped in the facility," she replied sarcastically. The sarcastic tone disappeared when she continued. "I looked you up, as well as the other two…Shepard and Jack, right?" Jinx folded her arms across her chest. "Quite an interesting bunch. A well-known galactic hero, an infamous assassin, and a biotic convict…and I'm sure Shepard has many other interesting people on that team of his." She walked slowly in a circle around Thane, looking him up and down as she did so. Thane looked mostly unaffected, remaining in his stiff position and staring straight ahead while she looked him over.

"Certainly much of that information was classified," he said.

Jinx grinned. "It was. I wasn't created to stand around looking pretty, you know…I have a few tricks up my sleeve." She stopped pacing around Thane, standing in front of him with a hand on her hip. "Now, you never answered my question. What brings YOU to the Citadel?"

"I'm on shore leave," Thane replied.

Jinx smiled. "So, you spend your free time lurking in dark alleys?"

"Sometimes." Thane shifted. "I also lurk in corners, abandoned buildings, and the occasional closet…I'm not picky."

Jinx laughed. "Oh-ho! The serious drell tells a joke!" She grinned. "You're a pretty fun guy, Krios. We should go out for a drink sometime."

"I was under the impression that drinks come before making out," Thane said, his face still dead-serious. "I believe our relationship is happening in reverse."

Jinx smirked. "If it was really going in reverse, making out wouldn't have been the first thing we did…" She stepped closer to him, running her hand up his chest. "…If you get my meaning."

_**Beepbeepbeepbeep!**_

Jinx's Omni-tool suddenly went off. She clicked it, and a map of the current level of the Citadel popped up, with a red dot flashing near her location. "Looks like I've found some more trash to take out," Jinx sang happily, memorizing her target's location before closing her Omni-tool. Cracking her knuckles, she grinned at Thane. "You can tag along, if you're really curious about what I'm doing…and, if you can keep up."

"If I can keep up?" Thane smirked ever-so-slightly. "My dear…you underestimate me."

"We'll see!" Jinx tugged her hood back over her head, enveloping herself in a black biotic shield. She smiled when Thane's eyes widened, and then sprinted past him, deeper into the dark alley. She could hear his footsteps as he quickly followed her, and her smile got a bit bigger. _Let's see how good you are, Mr. Assassin. _

As it turns out, Thane was just as good as Jinx thought he would be. He easily followed her through the twisting alley, and didn't hesitate to trail her through the rafters that she jumped onto. When Jinx came to an abrupt stop above a general goods store, Thane was right behind her. "Looks like I did underestimate you…not bad, Mr. Krios. Not bad at all," she praised. He nodded to her. "Now, back to business…" Turning her head, she surveyed the store below and quickly found the person she was looking for. "Dr. Barbara Jackson. My seventh and final target." She locked on to the pale, blonde-haired human woman, whipping out her sniper and peering through the scope. Once again, she aimed for the head, and as another shot rang through the air, Dr. Jackson fell to the ground. Panic immediately ensued in the mostly-empty store, but this time, Jinx didn't let them spot her. She turned around, grabbing Thane's hand, her shield enveloping him as well as they made their escape.

"You were fulfilling assassination contracts?" Thane wondered when they were safely hidden in another alley.

Jinx smiled, her tail waving under her long coat. "Sort of. There were seven scientists in charge of Project Kage…the project that resulted in me." She put her sniper away. "Their research may have been mostly destroyed, but they know how to start it up again. I didn't want Cerberus to have their coveted new army, so I sought them out and killed them…plus, they were all idiots. I was never fond of them."

"I see…" Thane quietly observed the feline woman.

"And now that my business is done, I believe it's time to meet up with Shepard." She smiled sweetly up at Thane, fluttering her eyelashes. "Be a dear and take me to him?"

Thane raised one of his eye ridges, and Jinx swore she saw the tiniest of amused smiles on his face. "Very well…follow me."

As he walked past her, with Jinx following closely behind, one thought ran through the strange woman's mind.

_Whatever you want, babe…whatever you want. _

**A/N:**** Jinx is a flirty, devious little thing, isn't she? Man, I wish I could get away with randomly kissing some sexy guy in a dark alley…last time I tried, the guy called the cops…HAHAHA. JUST KIDDING. :D Oh, and the way Jinx and Thane's meeting went was inspired by another story…The Assassin's Sonnet, I believe. Look it up! It's a great story! ^-^ Anyway…review away, beloved readers! I await your commentary! -^^-**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"C'mon, Shepard, you can do it! Drink that bastard under the table!"

John Shepard gave his turian friend a grin before downing another glass of alcohol in two great gulps, while the batarian in front of him swayed and looked like he was about to throw up. And his suspicions were correct, because not two seconds later, the batarian vomited beside their table, making the small crowd that had formed around them grunt in disgust and take a few steps back. Garrus, however, came up behind Shepard and patted him on the back, giving him a big turian grin. "That guy never stood a chance."

This was how they normally spent their shore leave. Being a soldier, Shepard loved to relax and have a few drinks whenever he got the chance, and Garrus…well, he just found it entertaining. This time, however, Shepard bumped into a batarian on his way into Flux…and, well, he reacted like any batarian would. He started threatening Shepard, who was extremely tempted to shove a gun in his face just to see the bastard run with his tail between his legs. Instead of doing that and risking banishment from the bar, he challenged the batarian to a drinking contest. Unfortunately for the batarian, he didn't know Shepard…and everyone who knew Shepard, knew that the man could hold his liquor with the best of 'em. So, as Garrus said…the guy never stood a chance.

"I hope you'll take this as a lesson for the next time you mess with me!" Shepard laughed at the batarian, who was now collapsed on the floor. "I was considering just shooting you, but I was feeling nice. Consider yourself lucky, batarian!" The alien merely groaned in response, holding his stomach with one arm and covering his head with the other. "Hey, can somebody come clean this up?" John called. "And get this guy a doctor or something, he doesn't look too good," he added with a snicker.

"Nice going," Garrus said. "But…I didn't think you'd _literally_ drink him under the table."

"I do what I do, Garrus," was the commander's simple reply.

"Hey, wait a sec." Garrus nudged John with his elbow, pointing at the club entrance. "Is that Krios?"

Curious, Shepard eyed the entrance. Sure enough, the drell in question was standing at the entrance to Flux…with a woman at his side. "Well, put me in a dress and call me Jane."

"Who's that girl beside him?"

"Who knows? What throws me for a loop is the fact that he's in a _bar_." Thane never seemed like the bar type to Shepard. "Looks like he's headed our way."

"Shepard," Thane greeted, moving gracefully through the crowd and stopping in front of the commander.

"Hey there, Krios. You never mentioned you had a girlfriend," Shepard said with a grin, looking the hooded woman up and down. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"She is not my girlfriend," Thane said calmly.

"And I believe you already know my name, Commander Shepard," the woman said, her voice tinted with amusement.

Shepard frowned. _I've heard that voice before…_ "What's going on here, Thane?"

"I have good news," the assassin replied, his face as stoic as ever. "But this does not seem to be the proper place to discuss it."

"And here I was, hoping you'd finally come here to party with us." Shepard sighed dramatically. "Alright, let's make this quick."

_**OUTSIDE THE**_** CLUB**

"Hold on…say _what_?" Shepard exclaimed. He could've sworn Thane just told him that the girl standing next to him was the same one that he rescued from that overrun Cerberus facility.

The woman pulled down the hood that covered her face. Sure enough, there she was, eye patch, cat ears, fangs and all. There was no doubt about it…that was Jinx. She gave him a bright smile, her ears perking up. "Did you miss me, Commander?"

"I knew I recognized that accent," John mused. Garrus didn't take it quite as easily as he did, however.

"Holy shit," he said quietly. "What ARE you? You're no species I've ever seen…"

"My race has no official name," Jinx replied. "I am the only one of my kind, anyway, so it isn't really important." She returned her attention to Shepard. "I came to tell you that my business is done."

Shepard blinked. So that must mean… "You…want to join my team now?"

The woman grinned. "You bet! You're taking on the Collectors. At first, the idea of a suicide mission wasn't too appealing, but after giving it some thought…a suicide mission doesn't really bother me—if I die, Cerberus gets pissed, and I'm all for that—and I think my skills will come in handy later."

"Hmm…" John tilted his head, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I did want you to come with me, and it'll keep you out of the Illusive Man's hands…" With a half-smirk, John held out his hand. "Welcome aboard, Jinx."

Under her coat, Jinx's tail waved happily as she gave the commander's hand a firm shake. "Thank you!"

"So, Thane…" Shepard raised an eyebrow at the drell, who had been standing quietly. "How exactly did you and Jinx cross paths?"

The two of them exchanged knowing smiles. "We sort of…ran into each other," Thane rumbled, an amused twinkle in his black eyes.

Shepard raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling there was much more to it than that, but if the small, secretive smiles they both wore were any indication, he wouldn't be getting the rest of the story out of them just yet. "Well…alright then. I think we should head back to the Normandy, get Jinx settled in as soon as possible." Garrus and Thane nodded in agreement, while Jinx stood there with a bright, cheerful smile on her face. With her head tilted, and her ears standing straight up, she looked like a mix between an innocent child and an adorable kitten. He could see why the girl would be a good manipulator—there weren't many men, or even women, who could say no to a face like that. "Thane, you and Jinx can go on ahead. Garrus and I will round up the crew. Wait for me in the briefing room, got it?" Thane gave a small, obedient bow, turning around and walking straight towards the elevator. Jinx's smile widened, her fangs poking out, and she gave a small wave and a happy, "See you later!" before trailing after Thane like a little duckling.

"She…is adorable," Garrus chuckled. "I didn't think you'd ever recruit someone that wasn't creepy, psychotic, or bloodthirsty. Besides my handsome self, of course."

Shepard rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Riiiiight. Come on, hot stuff, we gotta drag everyone away from their fun."

_**DOCKING BAY**_

"It's too bad the Normandy is flying Cerberus colors," Jinx said thoughtfully. "She's a very pretty ship."

Thane merely hummed in response, opening the door to the airlock and stepping inside. The hybrid woman stepped in beside him, looking up at the stoic drell with an amused smile. "You don't talk very much, do you Mr. Krios?"

"I apologize," Thane replied. His expression never changed, and there was nothing in his eyes that revealed that he was truly sorry. "Socialization is not my strong suit."

With a voice like that, Jinx found that a damn shame. They stood still while the decontamination mist fell over them. "Maybe I could teach you a thing or two," she offered.

"Maybe you could," was Thane's short reply.

Jinx gave a small huff of frustration. He really was quiet, even for an assassin. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to interacting with people beyond putting a bullet between their eyes…or perhaps he simply didn't trust her enough to speak with her on a friendly level. That brought a small smile to her face as he led her into a small hallway, and she greeted every crew member cheerfully after removing her coat. They all stared after her in shock, and she smirked when no one could see. Gaining trust was something she was good at—in fact, it was almost a game to her. Changing her personality to suit someone's tastes was as easy as breathing, and came just as naturally. And when a person trusted Jinx, it was a snap for her to get what she wanted from them.

"Here we are."

Thane's deep, vibrating voice pulled Jinx out of her thoughts. He had just opened a door in the center of the hall. Jinx saw a large table, and in the middle of it, was a hologram of the Normandy. And…well, that was about it. "This room could use some décor," she said with a small smirk. Thane didn't reply, choosing instead to walk over to the opposite end of the room and stand with his hands clasped behind his back. Jinx resisted the urge to sigh. This one might be a tough nut to crack…then again, she always enjoyed a nice challenge. "So…" After laying her coat on the table, her violet eyes flickered to his, wondering how she should play this. Innocent? Flirty? Devious? None of them had really worked so far…perhaps playing it practical would have a better effect? Thane seemed like a practical man. "How did you end up on the Normandy?" A simple enough question. Her face gave away nothing, she simply stared at him calmly, looking mildly curious. Surely he would have some kind of story to tell…that would get him talking.

"Shepard sought me out on Ilium," Thane answered. "I was in the middle of an assassination."

"Oh, really?" Jinx leaned against the table, her eyebrows arching slightly, flicking her tail.

"Yes. I was hired to kill Nassana Dantius. She was hiding in the penthouse level of one of her towers…and once she knew I was coming for her, she disposed of her workers and filled the tower with mechs and mercenaries."

"That was cruel of her. How did you get past all of them?"

"I tend to move quietly…through vents or rafters, only killing others when necessary. Shepard, however…had a different approach," Thane said, the corners of his lips lifting in a small, amused smile.

Jinx giggled. "I bet that was one hell of a firefight."

"It was certainly chaotic. Shepard made no attempt to hide his presence, storming the tower with guns blazing…"

As he continued to tell the story, Thane seemed to relax. He honestly hadn't known what to make of the young, feline woman at first…and he still didn't, even as the two of them were having a calm conversation, even sharing a few laughs. Her actions and behavior thus far had shown him that she was unpredictable. And her little stunt back in that alley had completely thrown him off, but he would be lying if he said he hadn't enjoyed it. In fact, he was finding it hard to put the memory of her body pressed against his at the back of his mind. He would have to be careful around this one…especially if she was as good at deceiving people as she claimed to be.

"Wow, that sounded pretty incredible," Jinx said as his story came to an end. They'd been discussing it for about half an hour straight…looks like playing it practical was the way to go. She definitely got him to start talking.

"Dammit, Thane, I thought we discussed this already: no sex in the debriefing room!"

The sudden sound of Shepard's voice caught both of their attention. John was standing in the now-open doorway, hands on his hips and a grin on his face.

His comment made Jinx laugh. "You caught us, Commander!"

"Red-handed," Thane agreed, his dead-serious expression making Shepard's grin widen.

"Well…I'm glad to see the two of you had some fun while I was away."

"Uh, Commander? You're kind of in the way…I can't get a good look at our newest recruit." Another voice sounded from behind Shepard, and he stepped aside, revealing a dark-skinned human male. He looked friendly enough…until held out his hand to Jinx, revealing the Cerberus logo on near his shoulder. "Jinx, I presume?"

Her reaction was immediate. Ears flattening against her head, she bared her fangs as an extremely animalistic hiss rose from her throat. The man looked stunned, and he quickly pulled back his hand, probably afraid that she would bite him. Shepard was even reaching for his gun—with her hunched shoulders, tense body, and her clawed fingers drawn back, it looked like she was prepared to pounce. "I'm…Operative Jacob Taylor," the man said slowly, as though he were trying not to make any sudden movements. "I came by to assess you and welcome you to the team."

"Your welcome means nothing to me, Cerberus scum," Jinx hissed. "And if you think I'm going to answer any question you have for me, I suggest you think again."

"Jinx…" Shepard's hand rested on his pistol. "Put your claws away—literally—and calm down. Jacob's not here to hurt you."

Jinx let her eyes wander over the three men in the room. Shepard looked calm, but wary…Jacob looked kind of scared…and Thane? At first glance, it would seem like he looked just as calm and collected as ever, but there was a certain twinkle in his black eyes that told Jinx that the whole scene was amusing to him. Her lips twitched, but she resisted the urge to smile. She slowly relaxed, her shoulders dropping and her fingers straightening out. Her back straightened, and her expression softened. "**Прости меня**, Commander Shepard. My previous encounters with Cerberus operatives were…not pleasant. I acted out of habit, it will not happen again." Her ears were still laid back, and she glanced at the floor, looking ashamed. Key word there: _looking_.

Shepard's brow furrowed, and Thane and Jinx could both see the guilt in his eyes. Thane also caught the flash of mischief in Jinx's … _She's good._ None of them seemed surprised when she spoke words that their translators didn't pick up…with her accent, it was obvious that she would speak a different language than most humans. "Hey, don't look so down, kid. It's perfectly understandable. But you'll be working closely with a lot of Cerberus folks, so try to keep your resentment in check, alright?" Her ears popped up, her tail flicking happily as she put on that childishly innocent smile.

"**Да**!"

"I take it that means yes." John chuckled. "I do want to ask you some questions, though…"

"If it will make you more comfortable, I'll leave," Jacob offered. Jinx gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, that is most kind of you." As he turned to leave, Jinx added, "And Jacob?" He stopped, looking at her over his shoulder. "It was…nice meeting you."

He laughed. "I'm sure it was. Welcome to the Normandy, Jinx." On that note, he left the room.

After a few moments of silence, Thane shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure whether he should stay or go…he was interested in learning more about the strange woman, but at the same time…he felt that it might be rude for him to remain in the room. The information Shepard would ask her about was probably private, and Jinx may not want him to hear it… "I will take my leave as well, if that is what you wish," he said softly, taking a step towards the door.

"No, it's okay," Jinx said hastily, stopping him in his tracks. "I didn't want Jacob in here because he works for the Illusive Man. I'd like to keep as much information about myself out of his hands as possible." A half-smile graced her lips. "Besides, I'm sure you're curious about me as well, are you not?"

He looked away. "I…am a little curious, yes…" he admitted slowly. Jinx giggled.

"It would be odd if you weren't. You are welcome to stay, if you'd like." Thane replied with a small, grateful nod.

"Okay," Shepard cut in. "First things first: tell me about Project Kage."

"Very well…" Jinx leaned against the table. It was possible that he already had a good idea of the things he would be asking her, but he just wanted to verify it for himself. She decided to humor him…she didn't fully trust the commander (she didn't trust anyone but herself), but he didn't seem like the type to go telling everybody her little secrets. "Project Kage's goal was to create the ultimate stealth agent, the ultimate army of superhuman creatures that would serve Cerberus with the utmost loyalty."

"Wait…" Shepard frowned. "You said 'super_human_'."

"Of course," Jinx replied. "Cerberus is a human-centric organization. It would be strange if they didn't use humans in the subjects' creations." She shrugged. "I used to be human…or, well, I would have been human. I'm a test-tube baby. They mixed a fertilized egg with the DNA of a panther—" She stopped. "Are the two of you familiar with panthers?"

Thane frowned slightly, shaking his head, while Shepard rubbed the back of his neck. "Isn't a panther…some kind of wildcat on Earth?"

"Yes, they're large wildcats that live in some jungles on Earth. They're agile predators with sleek, pitch-black coats."

"Which explains the color of your ears and tail," Thane guessed.

"Exactly."

"So, I take it the goal of Project Kage failed?" Shepard wondered.

"Well, they certainly didn't create an agent that would serve Cerberus with the utmost loyalty," Jinx said with a smirk.

"Alright…" Shepard shifted. It was rather obvious that the woman held no love for Cerberus. She seemed sweet enough…but could he trust her? After all, she was created to be a good liar. If she wasn't loyal to the very people who brought her into this world, could he trust her to be loyal to him? That was a good question…and one that he had no answer to. "So, what did they succeed in doing?"

Jinx grinned inwardly. The commander wanted to know what she was capable of, eh? He was either asking simply to get to know his newest crew member a bit better…or because he didn't want there to be any nasty surprises if she betrayed him. Maybe he wasn't as easily fooled as she thought…but that didn't mean he was un-fool-able. "They were successful in altering my genetics enough to give me super-human qualities…but still giving a relatively normal appearance. With a few quirks, of course, but that was unavoidable," she said, her ears swiveling and her tail flicking.

"What about your biotics?" Thane decided to pitch in. "They are unlike any I have ever seen."  
"You're a biotic?" The commander looked mildly surprised.

"Well, yes. Cerberus decided to alter those as well…" She covered herself in a black biotic barrier for a brief moment, before lowering it and meeting Shepard's even more surprised look with a small smile. "They allow me to move more easily through shadowed areas without being detected," She paused. "But as a result of their tampering, my biotic abilities were considerably weakened. So…I would not count on much biotic support from me."

"Noted." John folded his arms across his chest. "Anything else?"

"My physique. The scientists messed around with my genetics, making me more feline, but that obviously wasn't enough." She casually examined her sharp fingernails. "They strengthened my bone structure, implanting cybernetics that would absorb the shock from a very high fall… So, a fall that would shatter the bones of normal people would barely even faze me. But they also made me very flexible, and trained me so my endurance was high. I am very agile, making it easy for me to slip away or outrun an enemy if they caught me. But the downside to that is…I have little muscle strength besides in my legs, so it is easier for me to attack enemies from a distance or behind instead of a frontal assault. I certainly wouldn't be able to handle a krogan's charge," she said with a slight giggle. "Cerberus also screwed around with my cells, increasing their regenerative capabilities and making me heal faster than normal."

"How fast can you regenerate?" Shepard wondered. Jinx gave him a small smirk.

"I'll show you." Thane leaned in closer, his curiosity getting the better of him, as she raised her index finger, then lowered it to her forearm, sliding it across her skin. Blood instantly began to ooze from the new cut. If her nails could cut through things so easily…well, that would make them a weapon of their own, Thane thought. She wouldn't need brute strength to defeat someone in a close encounter; she simply needed to rake her claws across their face and flee while they were distracted with their own pain.

"Wow," Shepard said. After a few moments, the severed skin began to weave itself back together. Brushing the small line of blood away with her hand, Jinx held her arm out to the two of them, good as new. "Looks like I won't be reviving you with medi-gel very often."

"It seems that way," Jinx hummed in amusement.

"What weapons are you most proficient with?" Thane wondered suddenly.

"A sniper rifle is my most preferred weapon," the woman replied. "I also use heavy pistols…and occasionally, a knife." Thane could have sworn he saw a hint of a maniacal grin on her face, but the look disappeared as quickly as it came.

"What about armor? Do you wear any?" wondered the commander.

"Ah…well, no. Just this," She gestured from her tank top, to her pants, and then to her coat.

"As long as you're not on the front lines of the battle, I suppose that wouldn't be extremely life-threatening," John said, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "Hm. Is that all?"

"Pretty much," Jinx shrugged. Well, that she hadn't told him _everything_ she could do…she was also an expert hacker, and was rather smart when it came to tech and reading people, but she decided that information was best kept to herself.

"Alright then, seems pretty straight-forward. Looks like it's time to get you settled in…what kind of place would you prefer to stay?"

"Somewhere…big," the hybrid girl said after a moment's pause. "Somewhere with room enough to set up a nice jungle-gym so I can stay in shape."

"Sounds like you'd wanna stay in the cargo bay," John chuckled. "I'm sure we can find some way to set up a jungle-gym to keep you entertained."

"Really?" Jinx's eyes shone hopefully. "You would do that?"

"Of course. Gotta keep my team happy," he replied with a wink. She clapped her hands, jumping up and down like an excited child.

"Thank you very much, Commander Shepard! **Спасибо**!"

John laughed at her enthusiasm, giving her an elder brother-like pat on the head. "No problem. Thane, would you mind taking Jinx down to the cargo bay? I gotta go talk to Mordin."

Thane bowed his head slightly. "Of course, Shepard."

"Thanks. See you two later." With that, Shepard turned around and walked out the door.

"What did you think?" Jinx chirped after Shepard was gone.

"Of what?" asked Thane.

Jinx smiled. "Of me, of course. Do you find my body interesting?" Thane simply stared at her for a moment, allowing his eyes to briefly wander over her form before meeting hers again. She didn't miss that, either, and her pulse quickened as a result.

"Interesting?" Jinx saw an actual smirk spread across his full, inviting lips. "Well, I suppose that is one word I could use to describe it…not the first one that comes to mind, however." Thane mentally kicked himself. _Stop flirting with her,_ he scolded himself. _Yes, she kissed you, but you hardly know each other. Act like an adult, not an adolescent! _He then sauntered through the door, leaving Jinx with her reddening cheeks and fast pulse. Her eyes clouded with confusion at the reaction, but felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout her chest. She paused for a moment, before hurrying after him.

Jinx was on this mission for her own reasons…but that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun along the way.

**Translations****:**

**Прости меня **= I'm sorry

**Да** = Yes

**Спасибо** = Thank you

**A/N****: Oooh, I wonder what Jinx has up her sleeve? Of course she'd be doing this for herself…that selfish little vixen! Er…panther/human hybrid-thingy! XD Poor Thane, has no idea what he's getting himself into. Or could it be the other way around…? Hmm, an interesting question…which will not be answered here! :3 No spoilers! :D Heh heh, review away, beloved readers! Oh, and be sure to check out the new stories I've put up...Dragon Effect and Double Trouble! ^-^**


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